New Ulm weekly review., 1887-02-23

80 iSAsV Va
gage piled upon, the wharf. or being.
lowered intD,theAhosd stalwart Aliases
staggering under, the world OF trunks
which they have shoalldered; mates,
crews, porters, eabn,en, passengers,
boys, all shouting Justify in solo or
choruss the ships engine blowing off
steam with Al deafenlng roar; timid
ladies making. their, first trip, being
led trembling over the plank and up
the stairway. and laid on the sofas
IN the the cabin, old yoyagers, with.
one leg over the rail, smoking their
clgars-all1 eonspire to make the scene
one OF ofsrarese1eitement and confusion.
Joey was perfectly at home, and
whilahis father was busy, stole up in
to,the wheelhonse, which had incau-
tiously, been.eft unlocked. The wheel
man, coming; along soon after, met
Joey stealing down the steps, looking
scareda and gnilty.
Now thegun is fired. The bell ri ngs.
The hurry and confusion areincreased
tenfold-. Hasty farewells are said;
hasty kisses exchanged, hand
kerchiefs are brought into Wig
onous uses The throng OF friends who
have come only to say ''good bye"
begin to pour over the plank to the
wharf. The captain stands on the
paddle-box. He stoops and pulls
handle; down in the depths of the
monster tinkles bell; in a second
more the paddles dash the water in.
to foam. The captain stoops and
pulls the handle again; the paddles
stop, but the ship has started enough
to allow the cables to cast off. They
are all cast off but the stern cable
that still holds, and the head OF the.
great black monster swings slowly
out into the current. Another pullat
the handle, another splash OF the
paddles, and the stern cable is cast
off. The gun sounds; she is looseE A
cheer from the crowd on the wharf, O.
cheer from the crowd on deck, and the
ship has fairly turned down the
stream and begun her voyage.
In an hour she was at the mouth OF
the Willamette, and struck thestrong,
full current OF the Columbia. Having
more sea-rOom now. she begins to use
her strength. The flames roar through
the flues; the engineer turns on full
head Of steam; the clear, sweet water
OF the river, cut clean and neat by the
prov, is dashed into snowy foam by
the paddles, and sinks and rises in q
swelling wake for half mile to the
stern. Fishing boats and Indian ca
noes glide past her like shuttles, and
before you can fairly turn to look,
are tossing and rocking on the swell
m anv rods bahind
A black hull, supporting cloud Of
dlngy-whlte canvas, is seen ahead. It
is the Hudson Bay Company's store
ship, bound for Vancouver. A flash,
cloud of white smoke, thud, and
she has saluted the Orc Fino. A jar and
q thunder clap that startles the old
ones, and sets the ladies to screaming
and the Orc Fino has saluted her.
Three cheers from the stranger as the
British flag runs up to the masthead,
and three cheers as the stars and
stripes curl and snap in the stiff breeze
from our gaff. Now that she has
passed, and the sun falls full on her
canvas, she seems like great bank of
snow floating up the river.
Nearly everybody is tired of watch
ing her, and many have gone into the
cabins to avoid the wind which is
growing chilly. and others are compos-
ing themselves in twos, and threes
about the deck, when new and more
thrilling episode calls them all to their
feet again. Dunham and two men
came tearing up the staircase to the
quarterback. The bell tinkles, and
the paddles stop.
"Man ovcrboard!" is the cry.
Every one rnshes to the stern; every
one scans the boiling current. There.
| see hi,n!" cries one. ''He's treading
water!" cries another. Everybody
can see HIM now; but by this time the
tremendous momentum of the ves-
sci has left him q little speck q quar-
ter OF a mile behind. It takes an age
to lower the boat. Finally tits off,
Durham in the sterr, and the sturdy
sailors bending the ash dangerously.
"Can he hold out?" "Oh,yes; can't
you see him? He's treading water"
mo, he's floating" "Anyhow, he
keeps up bravely." Glow slow the
boat goesl'' "Why don't they pull?"
In fact, the boat was cutting the wa
ter like a frightened fish. Men on the
ship involuntarily bent and strained,
as though they could help in that way.
The boat nears the floating object,
now only aspeck in the distance. A
joyful murmur goes up from the ship.
"He's saved!' "Oh, those strong
men!" But Dunham sheers the boat
around, and picks up only hat and
holds it high in the air. The owner
had long since sunk. By the time the
tired crew were taken on board and
the. vessel under headway, it was
dark. They made Astoria by mid
night, and lay to along side the wharf.
The wind freshened during the night,
and by morning heavy gale, filled
with salt spray, was driving in direct
ly from the sea. The pilot reported
that it would be impossible to cross
bar in such a blow So they waited.
Dunham's presentment of bad luck
had been strengthened by the loss.
OF the man from the ship, aud he was
more nervous and gloomy than when